Korg MS2000RIf you thought that the MS2000R was simply a modeled emulation of Korg's vintage MS-20 synth, you'd be underestimating this digital synthesizer. Korg modeled the MS-20, sure, but it also sweetened the pot by modeling its VC-10 vocoder and SQ10 analog sequencer, adding new waveforms and effects processing, and throwing in a touch of wave sequencing.

The MS2000R produces some of the best synth basses ever heard; in fact, some knowledgeable people prefer its modeled basses to the analog timbres of the MS-20, an opinion bordering on sacrilege these days. Real-time control is practically a defining feature of analog synthesizers, and the MS2000R doesn't disappoint in this area. Modulation routings abound, and the front panel offers a generous assortment of modulation controls. As if that weren't enough, the MS2000R can capture your moves for posterity and play them back.

The 16-step Mod Sequencer harks back to analog sequencers of the 1970s, but Korg didn't stop there: every program can hold a three-track sequence, which you can play forward, in reverse, or in a loop that alternates between the two. Each sequence controls a parameter that you can select from a list of 30 possible MIDI messages (including notes, of course).

When a synth is as much fun and as cool-sounding as this, it's time to stop counting beans and start playing.